Red Wings look to close in on playoff berth tonight

chuck.pleiness@macombdaily.comDETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings know what’s at stake over these last four games of the regular season.

And any hiccup along the way could end their record run of berths in the postseason.

“I think there’s been pressure all along here,” forward Justin Abdelkader said after the morning skate at Joe Louis Arena Monday. “Every game has been important and we know it’s been kind of like playoff type games. We’re just going out and preparing ourselves and know we’re back at home so we just need to take care of our home ice here.”

The Wings, who open a three-game homestand tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes, are currently ninth in the Western Conference, three points behind Columbus and tied with Dallas in points.

“We still have to do the job out there,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “Sure we’re somewhat in an OK spot right now, but every point is huge. We have to find a way through it.

“I think enough talk has been done to be honest with you over the last week or so,” Kronwall added. “We all know the situation we’re in. We have to look at the opportunity we have. Right now we’re on the outside looking in, so we just have to make sure we have to take care of business.”

The Wings do control their own destiny and winning out would extend their record of postseason berths to 22.

“We have to do a lot better to get points on a nightly basis,” Kronwall said. “We’re in the standings where we’re at for a reason. We have to live in the now and make sure to find a way through it.”

Columbus has just two games left (at Dallas, Thursday; home against Nashville, Saturday), while the Wings three at home before ending the regular season on the road in Dallas on Saturday.

“It feels like it’s the playoffs right now,” defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said. “That’s the type of urgency it feels like. You have to win every game to stay in. That’s how it is for us right now. If we don’t win, we’re not going to be in.

“Essentially, it’s all up to us,” Ericsson continued. “If we win the rest of our games, we’re going to be in. It’s up to us.”

Dallas, which holds the tiebreaker on both Columbus and Detroit (regulation and overtime wins) has three games left (at San Jose, Tuesday).

“We have games in hand on all of them,” Abdelkader said. “We just have to take care of our business. You are what you are and your record shows how you played this year. Maybe we haven’t had fortunate breaks in overtime or shootouts or whatever, but that’s how it goes sometimes. We have to play well on our home ice and take care of business.”

The Wings, who have lost their last five games that have gone to a shootout, are also just 10-7-4 at home this season.

“Pressure means you’ve got a chance because if you didn’t have a chance, there would be none,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “The second thing is I think it’s fun to be in big games. Players tell you how hard they compete, how much drive train they have. To me those things come in front of skill this time of year. I’m excited to see what they do with it.

“We’ve been in a lot of battles,” Babcock continued. “Just finished a stretch with 14 road games, six home games and went back-and-forth five times out west. I think our club did pretty well at that time and yet we didn’t get enough points. We went .500 during that time, 8-8-4. We’ve got four games here, three at home, it’s an important stretch, but tonight is what it’s all about for us.”

Patrick Eaves will be in tonight for the injured Drew Miller (broken hand). Babcock will also go with the same defensemen that dressed Saturday in Vancouver, meaning Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo and Brian Lashoff will sit.